How to Get Chikorita, Cyndaquil & Totodile in Emerald

How to Get Chikorita, Cyndaquil & Totodile in Emerald — Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire & Emerald guide card

Catch 200 Hoenn Pokémon and Professor Birch offers one Johto starter in Emerald. What counts as complete, and how to get the other two.

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Pokémon Emerald hides a second starter choice at the end of the Hoenn Pokédex: Professor Birch offers one of Chikorita, Cyndaquil or Totodile at level 5 in his lab in Littleroot Town. This guide explains the 200-species check and how to claim the reward.

Game
Emerald
You need
The National Pokédex from Birch (after the Elite Four), then 200 of the 202 Hoenn entries owned — Jirachi and Deoxys excluded
Where
Professor Birch’s lab, Littleroot Town
Reward
One level 5 Chikorita, Cyndaquil or Totodile
Littleroot Town — return to Professor Birch’s lab after completing the Hoenn Pokédex.

Open this place on the map

What complete means: 200 species, not 202

The Hoenn Pokédex contains 202 entries, but the completion check requires 200 obtained species. Jirachi (#201) and Deoxys (#202) are excluded, so distribution events are not required. Mew is outside the Hoenn dex. Each required entry must be caught, hatched, evolved or traded onto the save; seeing it in battle is not enough.

Note — Plan on trading: Use trades to fill missing entries and trigger trade evolutions. A trade registers the species as soon as it reaches your game, and trade-backs still count for the Pokédex.

Sweep the Safari Zone early, breed starters and fossils into trade material, then fill evolved stages. One caught Ralts can become three owned entries by evolving its line.

Claiming your starter

Warning — You choose one: Birch offers one of the three starters. Obtain the other two by trading from saves that chose differently or by trading bred Eggs.

  1. Reach 200 owned entries Complete the required Hoenn Pokédex entries; Jirachi and Deoxys are excluded.
  2. Return to Littleroot Go to Littleroot Town and enter Professor Birch’s lab.
  3. Choose one starter Talk to Birch and choose one level 5 Chikorita, Cyndaquil or Totodile.
Professor Birch’s lab in Littleroot Town, the player standing outside it, just below and right of its door
Professor Birch’s lab at the south end of Littleroot Town. Its door is just up and to the left of the player. Select the image to open the lab on the map. In-game screenshot, Pokémon Emerald (Game Boy Advance). © Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK.

The lab itself is the room you started the game in, and the check happens at its door. After the Elite Four, Birch upgrades you to the National Pokédex here; from then on, every time you walk in, the game counts your Hoenn entries. When the count passes, it loads a second version of the lab with an extra table for the three Poké Balls, and Birch asks you to pick one. An unchanged lab means the count is not there yet.

Professor Birch standing in his lab, the player two steps in front of him, his aide near the red machine on the right and May near the bottom of the room
Professor Birch in his lab, with his aide by the machine on the right and May near the bottom of the room. When the offer is due, the game loads a version of this room with a table for the three Poké Balls. Select the image to open Birch on the map. In-game screenshot, Pokémon Emerald (Game Boy Advance). © Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK.

Which one should you take?

  • Totodile — A physical Water line for a post-game team.
  • Cyndaquil — A fast special Fire attacker through Typhlosion.
  • Chikorita — A defensive Grass line and a useful breeding/trading choice.

The Johto starters in Emerald: quick answers

Does complete mean seen or caught?
Owned. Register 200 of the 202 Hoenn entries as obtained.
Do I need Jirachi, Deoxys or Mew?
No. Jirachi and Deoxys are excluded from the requirement, and Mew is not in the Hoenn Pokédex.
Is the Johto starter reward in Ruby or Sapphire?
No. Professor Birch’s Johto starter offer is an Emerald reward.
How do I get all three Johto starters?
Choose one from Birch, then trade for the other two or their Eggs.